Mark Lawrence "Beach scenes"

Workshop is to do a typical beach scene in an impressionistic/realistic style on the first day, and a sand dune scene the next day.

You can attend either one or both days for this workshop.

Day 1

The workshop topic will be creating a typical beach scene with waves and mountains. The course caters to those looking to expand their pastel skills. It will cover materials (papers, pastels, etc.), and why they are important to gaining the best results. While the aim is to optimise materials for the beach scene, the information gained should also help in tackling other genera with soft pastels.

We’ll all work from the same reference photo and detailed notes (to be supplied) and participants can look forward to taking home a beautiful beach scene they’ve created to show others.

Day 2

The workshop topic will be creating a realistic beach sand dune scene with distant water. The emphasis will be on sand dunes in their context.

General information for both days

We will sketch out the broad shapes with willow charcoal, with attention to compositional guidelines re focal points and how to use aerial perspective to make the background look distant. Working from the top down, we will start with the sky and mountains, then work down to the waves and sand, and in the case of day 2, with the sand dune, finishing with some details and highlights.

Materials List:

Tutor Information:

Mark’s artistic journey began in his teenage years under the inspiration of a great art teacher. However, it wasn't until 2000 that he truly dedicated himself to painting, regularly participating in and winning prizes at the Ipswich Show.

 In 2012, he attended a workshop with Tricia Reust which marked the beginning of his exploration into pastels. He joined the Pastel Society of Australia (PSA) and had the privilege of learning from many PSA Master Pastellists, forming lasting friendships along the way. In 2021, with the support and encouragement of his mentor Margaret Turner, Mark achieved the esteemed status of Accomplished Pastellist with the PSA.

His work spans various genres, embracing the vibrant and beautiful aspects of landscapes and seascapes to portraits, figures in landscapes, flora, and the occasional still life and even abstract/contemporary pieces. His paintings are a celebration of colour and form.

Mark’s artwork is gaining increased recognition from collectors through prizes including at the Brisbane Ekka. He has recently begun sharing his knowledge and techniques through conducting workshops as he continues to create and share his passion for art with a growing audience.